The southern Powder River Basin is experiencing an oil boom thanks to the Niobrara, Turner, the Sussex and the Parkman shale plays.  According to the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, over 1.9 million barrels of oil were produced in Converse County in 2006.  So far this year, drillers have extracted more than 2.9 million barrels.  What was 3.5% of the state’s total production is now 8.6%.  Read more HERE.